Does Grammar Instruction Make a Difference: Evidence from AAU

Abstract

This is a report of an exploration into the state of the linguistic ability of first year
students. Use of verb forms (tense and agreement) as an element of grammar in the English
language is investigated through a short pre- and post-course test. The test yielded
information on the performance of the students before and after attending the College
English course at Addis Ababa University (AAU). The results show a significant difference
in the performance of the students. In other words, the students performed significantly
better on the post-test at the end of the semester than they did on the pre-test. Thus, it
appears that the finding of the study has a reassuring implication on the teaching/learning of
College English.